State vs Pistorius: who said what

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State vs Pistorius: who said what

City Press @City_Press #OscarPistorius 20 February 2013 15:22

Oscar Pistorius during his bail application at the Pretoria Magistrates' Court on Wednesday (February 20 2013). Picture: Herman Verwey/City Press

Conflicting versions of the events in the early hours of Valentine’s Day emerged in the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court during Oscar Pistorius’ bail application. We summarise the key points.

Was it dark?
Oscar said: It was pitch dark in the bedroom and he was too scared to switch on the lights.

Investigating officer (IO), Hilton Botha, said: A witness says the lights at the house were on when he/she checked after hearing the first shots.

Did he put on his prosthetic legs before shooting?
Oscar: Felt “extremely vulnerable” because he wasn’t wearing his prosthetic legs.

IO: Shots were fired from an angle (top down). But during cross-examination he conceded he had no evidence that Pistorius had put on his prosthetic legs before the shooting.

Why was Reeva in the bathroom?
Oscar: When he reached the bed after the shooting, he realised that Steenkamp wasn’t there and that she could have been in the toilet.

IO said during cross-examination: Steenkamp had an empty bladder.

Screaming, fighting
Oscar: There is no mention of a fight or Steenkamp screaming in his affidavit.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel: A witness heard “non-stop fighting” coming from the house between 2am and 3am.

IO: A witness heard shots, followed by screams and more shots.

IO said during cross-examination: The witness’ house was about 600m away.

Defence: No woman’s screams came from the house.

Cellphones on the scene
IO: Saw a firearm on the shower mat. Also saw two cellphones, one under the mat. The iPhones weren’t used to call the police or paramedics. The BlackBerrys hadn’t been used in months.

Defence: IO conceded he didn’t ask if there were other cellphones. He admitted he didn’t check whether Pistorius had called Netcare (911). Defence said a call was made at 3.20am.

Testosterone found
IO: We found two bottles of testosterone and needles.

Defence: “What’s the name of the medication?” the defence asked Botha. IO couldn’t say. Defence said it was herbal medicine. It’s not banned; Oscar can use it.

Crime claims
State: No police record that Pistorius was scared of crime and had been a victim, as claimed in his statement.

Defence: IO confirms Oscar spoke about a burglar at the scene.

Quotable

We call for vigilance and urge all our officials not to succumb to pressure from name-droppers.

President Jacob Zuma condemning the practice of using his name to secure privileges

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Comments

http://www.facebook.com/fred.stausebach Fred Stausebach

Witnesses saw lights on in the house. Oscar claims it was dark and
he heard something in the toilet. So he claims he shouted a warning and
then shot through the door three times. If he shouted a warning why
didn’t she shout back something like “It’s me Oscar?” And if she had
gone to the toilet to have a pee then she would have put the toilet
light on. She wouldn’t have sat there in the dark having a pee or
whatever. Oscar claims evrything was in darkness but she woud have had
the toilet light on and he would have been able to see the light was on
through the narrow spaces around the edges and the bottom of the door.
He is lying and his version of events do not make sense at all. No..it
is much more likely that the lights were on in the bedroom and that they
had a blazing argument and she ran away from him locking herself in the
bathroom. Then in his blind rage he shot at her through the bathroom
door killing her. Now he claims everything was in darkness and that he
was scared when he heard a noise in the bathroom and thought it was a
burglar so he shot through the bathroom door in total darkness. You have
to be stupid to believe that story.
- Lora Rutledge
  
  I disagree with you. His story is totally feasible. If I thought someone was in my residence, I would be terrified and I too have a pistol lying by my bed. Irregardless of the weapon I have, it’s not knowing what the “other” person may have. I wouldn’t hesitate to protect my family from anyone breaking into my house. I think what he claims is more than likely true.
  - MooiNooi
    
    Would you not first check the bed and secure the person you thought laying next to you? Have you ever lived with someone? When you hear to toilet flush and it is not you – who do you 1st think it is? Don’t be stupid. And I pray you are not a mother. Seems to me you would probably kill your own child thinking he/she were a burglar rather than checking on their safety first in such a situation.
  - http://twitter.com/vutomi84 Vutomi Ndlovu
    
    Even if Oscar Pretorius’s version is true and he get acquitted, he still remain the person who have murdered his own gf. This would be a life time scar for him.
    
    Now coming to the case itself, I believe its still early days and a lot of dirt would still come out as the case continues. This is one of those life changing situation. Chances are after the case he’ll be broke, with no sponsor, with no one willing to associate with him.
http://twitter.com/kahunadanny Daniela

“I had to protect myself and Reeva”…ummm, and you have no idea where your girlfriend, who you are supposed to protect, is at…I’m sorry Oscar, your story is falling to pieces. Check her email and twitter, please!!!
- Shaun
  
  I’m sorry, but it looks more and more like the state has no case…sloppy detective work
  Witness +-600m away, do you realise how far away that is???
  IO contaminated the crime seen, missed evidence (didn’t find a slug in the toilet bowl), failed to collect evidence i.e actual cellphone used….It looks like an increasingly sloppy investigation!
  
  State says they found steroids…turns out it might be herbal remedy (granted defence still has to prove this)
  
  Ammunition found NOT actually his
  State needs to step up fast because they think they are on holiday
- http://twitter.com/famblykittens Fambly kittens
  
  Wouldn’t you assume that the person you went to bed with was still in the bed?
Mark Joseph

he’s guilty as sin or are we saying every man can kill his girlfriend when she goes to the toilet..
MooiNooi

If you believe your “beloved” is laying in the bed under which you have your gun, why would you not first secure your “beloved” in such a situation? I would never want to be in a man’s bed who would not first ensure I am safe before pulling out his gun and shooting in the dark.
- http://twitter.com/famblykittens Fambly kittens
  
  I don’t think I’d be saying a word fearing that I would be heard by the intruders. Therefore, I wouldn’t be waking the person next to me given the fact that he or she could make a noise that would alert the burglars.
Lynda

If it was total darkness like he stated in his affidavit, how could he even see the toilet door to shoot 4 shots? How was his aim so good if he could not see a thing???? Did he possibly bring her downstairs so that the police would not go upstairs to her body right away??
http://www.facebook.com/people/Galactic-Cannibal/690517485 Galactic Cannibal

Reeva was murdered and the killer must pay the max penalty ,the Law allows. All this rubbish about bail or no bail is rubbish . The real trial has not yet begun. Why would any one fire 4 bullets into a tiny bathroom with its door locked . Before calling our “who is there” . When the shooter at that point, was not defending himself against physical confrontation (attack). Pistorius is stretching reason beyond belief.
http://www.facebook.com/tonym.ndlovu Tony M Ndlovu

Come on man,this guy is lying…..

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